Shadow Minister for Housing Mark Parton has raised serious concerns with Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury in Estimates Hearings yesterday regarding the Labor-Greens government’s proposed rental reforms.

The Proposed legislative reforms would give the Labor-Greens government power to make rules that will mandate what landlords must comply with to meet their rental standards.

Mr Parton said with Canberra currently in a housing and rental crisis, these reforms could have a serious impact on renters, especially those already struggling to get into the market.

“Despite Mr Rattenbury’s utopian vision, these policies have been rolled out in Victoria where they have resulted in thousands of landlords exiting the market,” Mr Parton said.

“This has then led to a dramatic tightening of the Victorian rental market and if we see the same implemented in the ACT there is no doubt it will significantly impact renters.

“The ACT Government’s own Your Say survey indicated that more than 21 per cent of landlords would likely sell their properties as a result of these changes and the remaining landlords are likely pass these costs on to their tenants.

“These changes will result in high rents, less rental properties and ultimately more homelessness and Canberrans struggling to put a roof over their head.

“The people who should be carping the most about these changes are renters. Landlords always have choices. Renters usually don’t,” Mr Parton concluded.